Opinion
Thursday 30: Congratulations
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, To the Tourism Industry Council and everyone who took part in Friday night’s inaugural Air New Zealand Tourism Awards — congratulations! What a wonderful evening. To everyone who was nominated and to those who won an award, well done. To the organising committee of Vaka Eiva, you rock. Congratulations on winning the Supreme […]
3 August: LAGOON FIX
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A reader says: “Apparently there is aid money in the pot now to get a sewage system up and running in Muri. Why is yet another environmental report being done? Is this to line the pockets of a few again? We all know that our lagoon is a disaster area. Just fix it before it’s […]
3 August: BIG DEBT
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A reader who says he’s a Cook Islander living overseas writes: “I read with great concern and alarm at the debt currently imposed on the CIs people by a government who at best can only be described as totalitarian with no regard for the long term welfare of its people. Who will pay back this […]
3 August: PAPER PASSING
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
About further public service cuts, a smoke signaller writes: “The first place to start cuts is the over bloated ministerial support offices. Fifteen years ago it was one staff with abudget of $25,000. Now it’s over 10 staff with an average budget of $235,000 each! That’s a whopping $1.6 million spent on passing paper around […]
3 August: Something about July?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller suggests an interesting political study would be to investigate why over the past 25 years or so, the majority of attempts to topple a prime minister or government – apart from a general election – have come a week or two before the annual celebration of self government. Maybe some people want […]
5 August: King or the People?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Who should rule, the King or the People? Not long ago, the right to rule in the Tinomana Family was decided by the “Court” and the title is to rotate between the descendents of the three wives of the King. A current controversy exists today with the Makea Family. The “Court” has said […]
5 August: Who's to blame for the utu?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Through your esteemed paper, I’d like to ask a couple of questions which I hope some brilliant legal mind out there can answer for me: Who is responsible for paying for the damage caused by an utu seed falling on the windscreen of my car and completely shattering it, whilst I was travelling […]
5 August: Sewage problem haunts Tepuka residents
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am concerned that the sewage problem in Tepuka is still haunting the Tepuka residents. Back in 1994 when I was the chairman of the Health Board under the Minister Joe Williams, the Tepuka residents complained about the toxic smell coming from the sewage. The board immediately conveyed the message to the minister […]
5 August: POLITICAL REFORM?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
What’s going on with Government’s promise after receiving the Electoral Reform Committee’s report over four years ago, a smoke signaller asks. “It goes to show that the two mainstream parties cannot be trusted and both parties have failed. People Power, where are you?”
Tuesday 28: League misses the point
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, As a long-time fan and supporter of the local rugby league competition, it really disappoints me that the national rugby league executive, which I believe is made up of high profile, smart individuals such as Charles Carlson and Navy Epati, have been unable to make the effort to ensure that the competition points […]
Tuesday 28: Anzac disappointment
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am disappointed that some business were opened last Saturday morning of ANZAC Day instead of opening for business after midday to pay respect to our Ui-tupuna who sacrificed their lives for the love of our ipukarea (country) since 1914. My grandfather was at war between 1914 and1918. He got hurt but managed […]
Tuesday 28: How about a bit of lagoon logic?
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, There is so much hot air floating around about the possible modification of the lagoon for the mini games that I would like to throw in a bit of cold logic. Of course there are plenty of people who say don’t touch it and probably as many who say clear it all out […]
Monday 27: How will the wealth be distributed?
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It is very interesting when it comes to resources and funds earned from our nation’s natural resources. There is no mention of how it will and can be distributed. Regarding the nodules that the government is planning to harvest, I have found that the majority of nodules are located in the Northern group. […]
Saturday 25: Show a little more respect
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, ANZAC Day runs deeper than nationalism or military pride. It is recognition of brave service, loyalty and sacrifice that Cook Islanders serving alongside New Zealanders and Australians continue to make to this day. Today Cook Islanders, as part of ANZAC forces are defending our nations against global terrorism, and participating in peace-keeping missions […]
Saturday 25: A bit more info needed on minerals
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Kia orana. I want to raise my concerns regarding the Seabed Minerals bill. Quite honestly I have no knowledge of what is happening. I’ve also noticed when reading the newspaper on Tuesday that the submissions on the bill were due to close on Friday (April 24). Do the majority of the people know […]
Saturday 25: It's the DPM's office which is misguided
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I write to do my bit to improve the intelligence level of those who work in the DPM’s office. Chief executive officer Ratu Mato makes reference to my statements in the Cook Islands News as coming from a “disgruntled” member of the Opposition and chastised the newspaper for treating as fact “the misguided” […]
Friday 24: Change your ways now
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The frank and honest admission by the secretary for ministry of infrastructure & planning (MOIP) that companies in the private sector can perform better than MOIP in the delivery of services such as road works is a clear sign that this government has to change the way that some public services are provided […]
Thursday 23: Full facts on the mosquito spraying please
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It was very refreshing to read in Wednesday’s paper that our health department has listened to the concerns raised about the fog spraying of the toxic chemical reslin. The introduction and planned use of larvicides like VectoBac is a giant leap forward and moves the Cook Islands health department to new levels on […]
Wednesday 29: Point taken!
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
My apology to all our Rugby League supporters for not getting the points table in place during the league competition. It has been very difficult getting some team managers to submit their team sheets to the association after every game. After a frustrating first round, we appointed a new coordinator to tidy up this area […]
Tuesday 28: SMOKE SIGNAL - Use the stimulus to buy dengue test kits
Wednesday 29 April 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
After reading about how health officials in Rarotonga have to send blood samples overseas to test for dengue, one signaller has an idea as to how some of the stimulus package should be spent. “Since we are still sending blood samples overseas for dengue testing, perhaps some of the $3 million stimulus package could be […]